Reed Timmer Visits Springfield

Posted:
Friday, February 14, 2014 7:15 AM EST

SPRINGFIELD- Thursday afternoon at the Crowne Plaza, Discovery Channel's famous storm chaser/extreme meteorologist, Reed Timmer, held a presentation, discussing his years of experience chasing severe weather. Timmer is no stranger to what ever Mother Nature decides to through at him, as he's chased winter and tropical storms and even took a front row seat inside a tornado. Timmer tells WAND that since he was a boy, he knew storm chasing was his calling. His first tornado chase happened shortly after receiving his licence. Timmer says he realized at that moment he no longer had to wait for the storms to come to him. So, on October 4, 1998 at the age of sixteen, Timmer chased his first tornado in Northern Oklahoma.

The year 2011 was discussed as a busy year for tornadoes, as nearly 1700 were reported across the country. Timmer says that 2012 was an even better year for tornado research, as most of the tornadoes occurred in the high plains, off the Rockies, in less populated areas. Although last year, 2013, was considered a quiet year, with 848 reported tornadoes in the U.S., November 17, 2013 was remembered. Meteorologist Timmer was present for the Washington tornado, but he says he didn't have much luck chasing that 70 mile-per-hour storm; but he got the chance to see that big wedge tornado and an elephant trunk tornado simultaneously that day.

The Polar Vortex was also touched upon during the presentation. Timmer points out that the similarities between this winter versus the winter of 2011. In fact, Timmer says the Polar Vortex was also present in the winter of 2011, but it was not nearly as prominent as it is this year. This winter season, a big ridge is set up over the Pacific and the Western part of the U.S., causing drought; meanwhile a deep, deep trough in the jet has plunged in the deep South of the country, causing frigid Arctic air invasions to the Eastern half of the county, along with Clipper after Clipper Systems dumping significant snowfall and returning the repeated cold blasts of air.

Mr. Reed Timmer is from Grand Rapids, Michigan but moved to Oklahoma to study Meteorology at the Oklahoma University, where he is working on his PH.D dissertation. His motto, "Never Stop Chasing," not only applies to his career as storm chaser/meteorologist, but he uses his motto in all aspects of life--always chase your goals and dreams.